Pipe-cleaner.



No. 877,324. PATIINTED IAN. 21, 1908.V E. I. GILBERT.

PIPE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.15.19o6.

EDGAR T. GILBERT, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.l

PIPE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1908.

Application filed October 15,1906. Serial No. 338,885.l

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR T. GILBERT, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Cleaners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates generally to devices for cleaning small tubular passages when choked or reduced in capacity by the deposit of fluidic substances upon their sides but is particularly adapted for use in cleaning the stems of tobacco pipes and it has for its object to provide a cheap and convenient device of this nature which will operate with thoroughness and readily adapt itself to pipes having bores of different relative diameters.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain'improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out more particularly in the annexed claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view partly in section of my preferred form of cleaner. Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views of several modifications, and Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

In the several views, the same numerals of reference designate similar parts.

I construct my cleaners byl placing a quantity of short cotton or other suitable fibers 1 transversely between twoor more parallel wires 2 and then twisting the latter tightly around each other in such manner that the fibers are securely held in place and extend radially in all directions, as shown in Fig. 4, forming a small but thickly bristled cylindrical brush, the wire core providing sufficient strength and stiffness to allow of its being either pushed or drawn through the pipe stem. But the gumrny substances or products of combustion which are deposited within the bore of a tobacco pipe harden somewhat after a time and a brush of uniform diameter drawn therethrough is apt to remove only the softer layer formed with the most recent use of the pipe and to be softened and clogged so that it fails to open the passage to its full capacity.

To obviate these disadvantages I form my cleaner as illustrated in Fig. 1, the mode of construction being substantially as above described, but wherein the fibers are arranged in graded lengths to form a series of preferably conical tufts 3 instead of a continuous brushing surface, those at the end adapted to be first inserted being compara tively small with each succeeding tuft increasing slightly in diameter and pointing inx the direction of movement, as shown. In this way the cleaner becomes effective throughout its length, each tuft in turn bear ing with greater force against the walls of the passage and removing a layer of the material which finds space to accumulate and be absorbed. between them. It will also be readily seen that if the cleaner is then withdrawn to pass through the stem in the opposite direction, the longer bristles 4 will be supported against bending by the others and effect a final and thorough cleansing. The modifications show other forms possessing advantage for particular uses such as the increased stiffness afforded by the cylindrical or oval tufts illustrated in the figures, my.

improvements being applicable in other ways than in connection with the particular article described. The fibrous material of which the cleaner is composed quickly absorbs all moisture with which it comes in contact, the short fibers' between the tufts thus taking up and retaining the matter dislodged by the passage of the adjacent tufts.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pipe cleaner or analogous device embodying a stiff central core provided with fibers extending radially therefrom, throughout its length to form a complete covering for said core, the lengths of said fibers being increased at intervals to form a succession of tufts or brushes.

2. A pipe cleaner or analogous device einbodying a stiff central core provided with groups of fibers of graded lengths extending radially therefrom at intervals and forming a succession of conical tufts or brushes the portions of the core between the tufts being completely covered by similarly arranged fibers of shorter length.

3. A pipe cleaner or analogous device embodying a stiff central core provided with groups of fibers of graded lengths extending radially therefrom at intervals and forming a succession of conical tufts or brushes varying in maximum diameter the portions of the core between the tufts being completely covered by similarly arranged bers of shorter length.

4. A pipe cleaner or analogous device embodying a lstift central Core provided with a series of tufts of librous material arranged at intervals throughout the length of the core and intermediate portions of smaller diameter and having absorbent properties.

EDGAR T. GILBERT. Witnesses:

RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH, CLARENCE A. BATEMAN. 

